The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

Last 5 news

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2007 (VIS) - Made public today was a "Motu Proprio," written in Latin, with which the Holy Father Benedict XVI restores the traditional norm concerning the majority required for the election of the Supreme Pontiff. According to this norm, in order for the election of a new Pope to be considered valid it is always necessary to reach a majority of two thirds of the cardinals present.

With this document, Benedict XVI substitutes the norm established by John Paul II who, in his 1996 Apostolic Constitution "Universi Dominici gregis," laid down that the valid quorum for electing a new Pope was initially two thirds but that, after three days of voting without an election, there would be a day dedicated to reflection and prayer, without voting. Thereafter, voting would resume for seven additional ballots, another pause for reflection, another seven ballots, another pause and yet another seven ballots. After which an absolute majority was to decide how to proceed, either for a vote by absolute majority or with balloting between two candidates. This was to happen only in the event that the cardinals arrived at the 33rd or 34th ballot without a positive result.MP/ELECTION SUPREME PONTIFF/... VIS 20070626 (210)

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father gave his assent to the canonical election by the Synod of Bishops of the Greek-Melkite Catholic Church meeting in Ain Traz, Lebanon, from June 18 to 23, of Fr. Yasser Ayyach, pastor of the Melkite parish of Amman-Alwabdi in Jordan, as archbishop of Petra and Philadelphia of the Greek-Melkites (Catholics 31,300, priests 28, religious 21), Jordan.NER/.../AYYACH VIS 20070626 (70)

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2007 (VIS) - Given below is a list of the metropolitan archbishops who will receive the pallium from Benedict XVI in the course of a Eucharistic celebration due to be held in the Vatican Basilica on Friday June 29, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles:

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2007 (VIS) - "In Solidarity with the People of the Sea as Witnesses of Hope, through Proclamation of the Word, Liturgy and Diakonia," is the theme of the 22nd World Congress of the Apostleship of the Sea, which is being held in Gdynia, Poland from June 24 to 29 under the patronage of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.

The Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) is an ecclesial organization that has more than 110 maritime centers and chaplaincies in almost all the main ports of the world. It is estimated that seafarers in the merchant marine number more than 1.2 million, most of them Catholics from poor countries, while those who work in the fishing industry number 41 million.

The AOS congress is held every five years, the last one having been in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In his opening address to the current congress, Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, pointed out that "the milieu in which we as the AOS are called to bear witness ... remains today one of the most difficult, demanding and dangerous."

"In no other age have we seen such prosperity, wealth and technological advances in the maritime industry and yet countless workers of the sea are in extreme need, as so many of them are faced with new forms of slavery in their living and working conditions.

"Our apostolate in the AOS is one of presence and service. Our vocation is to incarnate Christ's love for those who suffer, the sick, the marginalized and the poor. We are also often called to stand alongside seafarers in defense of their rights and in doing so we are exercising the prophetic mission of the Church, because for us at the heart of social justice lies love of God and love of neighbor."

"The choice of theme," the archbishop concluded, "reflects our conviction that, in order to remain faithful to its tradition and identity, the AOS must carry out its role within the historical context in which the people of the sea live and work today. It is in this world that we are called to commit ourselves, to live the Gospel fully by being faithful witnesses of the Risen Christ. ... The Church as a community is dedicated to the spreading of this Gospel of hope in a world which has lost many of its landmarks and references."CON-SM/APOSTLESHIP SEA/MARCHETTO VIS 20070626 (430)